Life

Konstantinos Kontobas was born in Volos in 1966. He studied at and graduated from the University of Athens. He holds a degree in English and is also proficient in Arabic.

He was ordaineddeacon by Archbishop Hezeliel of Kos in 1986 and as priest by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Peristeri in 1993. He served at a number of churches in Greece before transferring to the Church of Alexandria in 1996. He was originally assigned as superior of the Cathedral of St. Froumentios in Addis Ababa but also served the Church of the Annunciation in Asmara, Eritera. With the enthronement of Patriarch Petros VII as Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa in 1997, Fr. Ioakeim was recalled to Alexandria to serve as Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate. Additionally, he served as superior of the Patriarchal Church of St. Nicholas Ibraimia.

Fr. Ioakeim was elected by the Holy Synod as Bishop of Diocese of Zambia on March 14, 2003 and consecrated on March 23 in the Cathedral of St. Savvas in Alexandria. Bp. Ioakeim was elevated to Archbishop when under a decree of the Patriarchate of Alexandria the Diocese of Zambia was elevated to Archdiocese of Zambia on October 6, 2009.